POS registering system capable of changing a sales item to another sales item with simple operation

ABSTRACT

A POS registering system is disclosed, that comprises a menu having a plurality of menu keys and at least one selection key, at least one sales item being assigned to each of the menu keys, each of the selection key being used to select one of sales items assigned to each of the menu keys, a table containing entries of sales item data of the sales items assigned to each of the menu keys, the sales item data including a sales item name and a prices of each sales item, and a display device, wherein when an operation including a selecting a menu key is performed for designating a sales item on the menu, entries of sales item data of all sales items assigned to the selected menu key are searched from the table and all the searched entries of sales item data are displayed on the display device in such a manner that they are distinguished from entries of correction alternative sales item data of the remaining sales items assigned to the menu key, and wherein when an operator selects one of the entries of the correction alternative sales item data displayed on the display device, the selected entry of the correction alternative sales item data is treated as an entry to be processed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a division of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 09/657,360, filed Sep. 7, 2000, now pending, and related to twoconcurrently filed applications, both entitled: Computer Program Capableof Changing a Sales Item to Another Sales Item with Simple Operation(Attorney Docket Nos. 040447-0241 and 040447-0242), and and based onJapanese Patent Application No. 11-252753, filed Sep. 7, 1999, byMotohisa Watanabe. This application claims only subject matter disclosedin the parent application and therefore presents no new matter.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] 1. Field of the Invention

[0003] The present invention relates to a POS registering system forregistering sales items using keys and buttons disposed on a menukeyboard or a touch panel input device, in particular, a POS registeringsystem that allows an operator to easily correct sales items that havebeen mistakenly input.

[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0005] In conventional POS registering systems, as their input devices,bar code input devices, menu keyboards, touch panel input devices, andso forth are used.

[0006] In a POS registering system using a bar code input device as itsinput device, a sales registering process is performed in the followingmanner. In the sales registering process, a bar code of a sales item tobe registered is read by the bar code input device. Sales item dataincluding the sales item name and the prices thereof corresponding tothe bar code that has been read is searched from a price look-up (PLT)table stored in the POS registering system or a server and the salesitem data is displayed on a display device. In addition, the sum ofsales items that a customer will buy is calculated corresponding to thesearched sales item data and a receipt thereof is issued. The searchedsales item data is transferred to the server.

[0007] In a POS registering system using a menu keyboard as its inputdevice, unique sales item codes corresponding to sales items to beregistered are pre-assigned to menu keys. When an operator presses oneof the menu keys, as with the searching process for a sales item codeusing a bar code, sales item data corresponding to the sales item codeis searched from a PLU table and the searched sales item data isdisplayed on a display device. When the operator confirms that thedisplayed sales item data matches the menu key that he or she haspressed, a sales registering process is performed corresponding to thesearched sales item data. In this case, since the number of sales itemsthat can be assigned depends on the number of menu keys, two sales itemcodes are assigned to each menu key. In addition, a selection key thatallows the operator to select one of two sales items assigned to onemenu key is disposed. A sales item code depending on whether or not theselection key has been operated is registered.

[0008] In a POS registering system using a touch panel input device asits input device, an input screen including a plurality of menu buttonsrepresenting different sales items is displayed on a display device.When an operator touches a menu button, sales item data of the salesitem name represented on the touched menu button is searched from a PLUtable and displayed on the display device. When the operator knows thatthe displayed sales item data matches the touched menu button, a salesregistering process corresponding to the searched sales item data isperformed. In this case, the number of sales item names that can berepresented depends on the number of menu buttons. To solve thisproblem, a plurality of selection buttons for selecting sales item namesrepresented on menu buttons are disposed along with menu buttonsdisplayed on the input screen. Corresponding to a touched selectionbutton, sales item names represented on menu buttons are changed.

[0009] However, in the above-described related art references, a POSregistering system using a menu keyboard and a POS registering systemusing a touch panel input device have the following problems.

[0010] When a menu keyboard is used as an input device, depending onwhether or not a selection key has been pressed, one of two sales itemsassigned to a menu key is treated as a sales item to be registered.Thus, if the operator forges pressing a selection key or unnecessarilypresses it, even if a correct menu key is pressed, an improper salesitem will be registered. When the operator has registered a sales itemin an incorrect key operation, he or she should cancel the registeredsales item and then input a correct sales item. Thus, the operability ofthe POS registering system is low.

[0011] On the other hand, when a touch panel input device is used as aninput device, a sales item of a sales item name represented on a touchedmenu button is processed as a sales item to be registered. However, asales item name represented on a menu button depends on a selectionbutton that is touched. Thus, when the operator mistakenly operates aselection button, even if he or she presses a correct menu button, animproper sales item different from that to be registered will beregistered. When an incorrect sales item has been registered with animproper selection button, as with an improper operation of a menu key,the operator should cancel the mistakenly registered sales item and theninput a correct sales item. Thus, as with the case using the menukeyboard, the operability of the POS registering system using the touchpanel is low.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a POSregistering system that allows an operator to easily perform an easycorrecting operation against a mistaken key operation of a selection keyand/or a selection button on a menu keyboard and a touch panel inputdevice so as to correctly register sales items.

[0013] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a POS registering system, comprising: a menu having a pluralityof menu keys and at least one selection key, at least one sales itembeing assigned to each of the menu keys, each of the selection key beingused to select one of sales items assigned to each of the menu keys; aPLU table containing entries of sales item data of the sales itemsassigned to each of the menu keys, the sales item data including a nameand price of each sales item, the entry of sales item data beingcorrelated to a code of the sales item; a key table containing the codesof sales items and operations on the menu in such a manner that a codeof a sales item is designated by each operation on the menu; a displaydevice; designated sales item-searching means for searching the keytable for a sales item code corresponding to an operation on the menuand further searching the PLU table for an entry of designated salesitem data corresponding to the searched sales item code; correctionalternative-searching means for searching the key table for sales itemcodes corresponding to sales items which are assigned to the menu keyoperated and which have not been designated and further searching thePLU table for entries of correction alternative sales item datacorresponding to the searched sales item codes; display-controllingmeans for displaying the entry of the designated sales item data and theentries of correction alternative sales item data on the display devicein such a manner that the entry of the designated sales item data isdisplayed in a different format from the entries of correctionalternative sales item data; and sales item-registering means, when onof the entries of correction alternative sales item data is selected,for registering the selected entry of correction alternative sales itemdata as an entry to be registered.

[0014] In the above POS registering system, the menu may have a specialmenu key to which a plurality of sales items are assigned, the samesales item code being assigned to the sales items assigned to thespecial menu key; the PLU table may correlatively contain sales itemcodes, entries of sales item data of sales items, and entries ofselection key information, one sales item code being assigned to aplurality of sales items, entries of selection key informationrepresenting selection keys for selecting sales items to which the samesales item code is assigned; the key table may contain sales item codes,each of which is assigned in common to the plurality of sales itemsassigned to the special menu key; the designated sales item-searchingmeans may search the key table for a sales item code corresponding to anoperation, the operation including selecting the special menu key on themenu for designating a sales item, and may further search the PLU tablefor pairs of an entry of sales item data and an entry of the selectionkey information corresponding to the searched sales item code; and amongentries of sales item data corresponding to the searched sales itemcode, an entry selected by selecting one of the selection keys maybecome an entry of the designated sales item data, and entries notselected by selecting one of the selection keys may become entries ofcorrection alternative sales item data.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there isprovided a POS registering system, comprising: a display device; a touchpanel input device disposed on the display device; input screendisplay-controlling means for causing the display device to display aninput screen containing a plurality of menu buttons and at least oneselection button, each of the menu buttons representing a sales itemname of a unique sales item, the selection button being used to selectsales item names represented on the menu buttons, and changing the salesitem names represented on the menu buttons to those corresponding to thetouched selection button when the touching thereon is detectedcorresponding to an output from the touch panel input device; a buttontable containing entries of position information of the menu buttons,entries of position information of the selection buttons, and sales itemcodes in such a manner that a sales item code is designated by acombination of an entry of position information of the menu button andan entry of position information of the selection button; a PLU tablecontaining the sales item codes contained in the button table andentries of sales item data, the sales item data including a name andprice of each sales item, the entry of sales item data being correlatedto a sales item code; designated sales item-searching means forsearching the button table for a sales item code corresponding to asales item name represented on a menu button touched on the touch panelinput device on the basis of an entry of position information of thetouched menu button and an entry of a selection button which has mostrecently been touched, and further searching an entry of designatedsales item data corresponding to the searched sales item code;correction alternative searching-means for searching the button tablefor sales item codes corresponding to sales item names being capable of,but not being, represented on a menu button touched on the touch panelinput device on the basis of an entry of position information of thetouched menu button and an entry of a selection button which has mostrecently been touched, and further searching an entry of correctionalternative sales item data corresponding to the searched sales itemcodes; input guidance display-controlling means for causing the displaydevice to display the entry of designated sales item data and theentries of correction alternative sales item data in such a manner thatthe entry of the designated sales item data is displayed in a differentformat from the entries of correction alternative sales item data; andsales item-registering means, when on of the entries of correctionalternative sales item data is selected, for registering the selectedentry of correction alternative sales item data as an entry to beregistered.

[0016] In the above POS registering system, the input screen may have aspecial menu button to which a plurality of sales items are assigned,the sale sales item code being assigned to the sales items assigned tothe special menu button; the PLU table may correlatively contain salesitem codes, entries the of sales item data, and entries of selectionbutton information, each of sales item codes being assigned to aplurality of sales items, each entry of the selection button informationrepresents a selection button which is touched to represent a sales itemname of a sales item on the special menu button; the button table maycontain sales item codes, each of which is assigned in common to theplurality of sales items corresponding to the sales item namesrepresented on the special menu button; the designated salesitem-searching means may search the key table for a sales item codecorresponding to a combination of an entry of position information ofthe special menu button touched on the touch panel input device and anentry of position information of a selection button which has mostrecently been touched, and may further search the PLU table for pairs ofan entry of sales item data and an entry of the selection buttoninformation corresponding to the searched sales item code; and amongentries of sales item data corresponding to the searched sales itemcode, an entry selected by selecting one of the selection buttons maybecome an entry of the designated sales item data, and entries notselected by selecting one of the selection buttons may become entries ofcorrection alternative sales item data.

[0017] These and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent in light of the following detaileddescription of a best mode embodiment thereof, as illustrated in theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of afirst embodiment of the present invention;

[0019]FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the structureof a menu keyboard according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0020]FIG. 3 is a top view showing menu keys according to the firstembodiment of the present invention;

[0021]FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the contents(entries) of a PLU table according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0022]FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of the contents(entries) of a key table according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0023]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of aCPU according to the first embodiment of the present invention;

[0024]FIG. 7 is a first part of a flow chart showing an example of aprocess of a searching means according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0025]FIG. 8 is a second part of the flow chart of FIG. 7;

[0026]FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C are schematic diagrams showing examplesdisplayed on a display device according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0027]FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing an example displayed on thedisplay device according to the first embodiment of the presentinvention;

[0028]FIGS. 11A and 11B are schematic diagrams showing examplesdisplayed on the display device according to the first embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0029]FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing another example of thestructure of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0030]FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram showing an example displayed on adisplay device;

[0031]FIG. 14 is a schematic diagram showing an example of contents(entries) of a button table according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0032]FIG. 15 is a schematic diagram showing an example of contents(entries) of a PLU table according to the second embodiment of thepresent invention;

[0033]FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure ofa CPU according to the second embodiment of the present invention;

[0034]FIG. 17 is a flow chart showing an example of a process of asearching means according to the second embodiment of the presentinvention; and

[0035]FIG. 18 is a flow chart showing an example of a process of thesearching means according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0036] Next, with reference to the accompanying drawings, embodiments ofthe present invention will be described.

[0037] [First Embodiment]

[0038]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure of afirst embodiment of the present invention.

[0039] A POS registering system 100 according to the first embodiment ofthe present invention is composed of a CPU 101, a display device 102, amemory 103, a menu keyboard 104, a bar code input device 105, and aprinting device 106.

[0040] The menu keyboard 104 is a keyboard for designating a sales itemto be registered. As shown in FIG. 2, the menu keyboard 104 has first tofourth selection keys SK1 to SK4, 50 menu keys MK1 to MK50, numericinput ten keys, a period key, arrow (up, down, left and right) keys, areturn key, and a clear key. When the maximum number of sales itemsassigned to each menu key is “2”, the number of selection keys may be“1”.

[0041] Each of the menu keys MK1 to MK50 is assigned one to four salesitems. For example, the menu key MK1 is assigned four sales items “oneapple”, “one bag of two apples”, “one bag of six apples”, and “one bagof 10 apples”. To allow the operator to know these sales items, a sealis adhered on the upper surface of the menu key MK1. As shown in FIG. 3,the seal represents the four sales items. On the other hand, the menukey MK15 is assigned only “one watermelon”.

[0042] The first to fourth selection keys SK1 to SK4 are keys forselecting one of a plurality of sales items assigned to each of the menukeys MKi (1

i

50). For example, when the operator selects “one apple” from four salesitems assigned to the menu key MK1, he or she presses the firstselection key SK1 and then presses the menu key MK1. Likewise, when theoperator selects “one bag of two apples”, “one bag of six apples”, or“one bag of 10 apples”, he or she presses the second selection key SK2,the third selection key SK3, or the fourth selection key SK4,respectively, and then presses the menu key MK1. According to the firstembodiment of the present invention, when the operator presses only themenu key MKi rather than one of the selection keys SK1 to SK4, it isassumed that after the first selection key SK1 has been pressed, themenu key MKi is pressed.

[0043] The display device 102 has a display area of two lines or more.

[0044] The memory 103 stores a control program 107, a PLU table 108, anda key table 112. The control program 107 is used to control the POSregistering system 100.

[0045] The PLU table 108 correlatively contains sales item codesassigned to sales items to be registered and entries of sales item datahaving sales item names of sales items and prices thereof. FIG. 4 showsan example of the contents (entries) of the PLU table 108. As shown inFIG. 4, each sales item code is registered in such a manner that itcorrelates with at least one entry of sales item data. For example, asales item code “0011” is registered along with one entry of sales itemdata “one apple, 100 yen”. A sales item code “0016” is registered alongwith five entries of sales item data “one small eel, 500 yen”, “onemedium eel, 800 yen”, “one large eel, 1000 yen”, “one very large eel,1500 yen, and “one ultra large eel, 3000 yen”. Each of a plurality ofentries of sales item data assigned to one sales item code contains anentry of selection key information (selection 1, selection 2, . . . )that represents the relation between a selection key and a sales item.When the number of sales items assigned to one sales item code (as withthe sales item code “0016”) is larger than the number of selection keys(thus, there is a sales item that cannot be designated with acombination of selection keys and a menu key), an entry of selection keyinformation cannot be added to an entry of sales item data. However, anentry of selection key information that does not substantially exist isadded to such an entry of sales item data.

[0046] The key table 112 is a table from which a sales item code of asales item designated by a key operation on the menu keyboard 104 isobtained. On the key table 112, sales item codes are registered incombinations of key odes of the menu keys MK1 to MK50 and key codes ofthe first to fourth selection keys SK1 to SK4. FIG. 5 shows an exampleof the contents (entries) of the key table 112. When the secondselection key SK2 and the menu key MK1 are pressed on the menu keyboard104, the key table 112 shown in FIG. 5 shows that a sales item of asales item code “0021” is designated.

[0047]FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an example of the structure ofthe CPU 101. The CPU 101 comprises a display controlling means 61, asearching means 62, a correcting means 66, and a sales item registeringmeans 67. The searching means 62 has a designated sales item searchingmeans 63, a correction alternative searching means 64, and a bar codesearching means 65.

[0048] The designated sales item searching means 63 has two searchingfunctions. In the first searching function, when the operator performs akey operation for designating a sales item to be registered using themenu keyboard 104, the designated sales item searching means 63 searchesa sales item code corresponding to the key operation (that is a key codethat is output from the menu keyboard 104) from the key table 112. Inthe second searching function, the designated sales item searching means63 searches an entry of sales item data corresponding to the sales itemcode that has been searched from the key table 112 from the PLU table108. In other words, when the operator presses the first selection keySK1 on the menu keyboard 104 and then presses the menu key MK1, thedesignated sales item searching means 63 searches a sales item code“0011” corresponding to a combination of key codes of the keys SK1 andMK1 from the key table 112 shown in FIG. 5 and then searches an entry ofsales item data “one apple, 100 yen” corresponding to the sales itemcode “0011” from the PLU table 108 shown in FIG. 4.

[0049] The correction alternative searching means 64 has two searchingfunctions. In the first searching function, when the operator performs akey operation for designating a sales item to be registered on the menukeyboard 104, the correction alternative searching means 64 searches asales item code of a sales item that has been assigned to the pressedmenu key and that has not been designated by the key operation from thekey table 112. In the second searching function, the correctionalternative searching means 64 searches an entry of sales item datacorresponding to the sales item code that has been searched from the keytable 112 as an entry of correction alternative sales item data from thePLU table 108. In other words, when the operator presses the selectionkey SK1 on the menu keyboard 104 and then presses the menu key MK1, thecorrection alternative searching means 64 searches sales item codes“0021”, “0031”, and “0041” corresponding to combinations of key codes ofthe pressed menu key MK1 and the non-pressed selection keys SK2, SK3,and SK4 from the key table 112 shown in FIG. 5 and then searches entriesof sales item data “one bag of two apples, 180 yen”, “one bag of sixapples, 500 yen”, and “one bag of 10 apples, 800 yen” corresponding tothe sales item codes “0021”, “0031”, and “0041” as entries of correctionalternative sales item data from the PLU table 108 shown in FIG. 4.

[0050] The bar code searching means 65 has a searching function. Inother words, when a bar code that represents a sales item code is inputfrom the bar code input device 105, the bar code searching means 65searches an entry of sales item data corresponding to the bar code (asales item code) from the PLU table 108.

[0051] The display controlling means 61 has two functions. In the firstfunction, the display controlling means 61 causes the display device 102to display an entry of sales item data searched by the designated salesitem searching means 63 and an entry of correction alternative salesitem data searched by the correction alternative searching means 64 indifferent display formats. In the second function, the displaycontrolling means 61 causes the display device 102 to display an entryof sales item data searched by the bar code searching means 65.According to the first embodiment, the display controlling means 61highlight-displays (reverse-displays or halftone-displays) an entry ofsales item data searched by the designated sales item searching means 63so as to distinguish it from an entry of correction alternative salesitem data.

[0052] The correcting means 66 has functions for adding, deleting, andupdating an entry of data of the PLU table 108.

[0053] The sales item registering means 67 has a function for performinga sales registering process for calculating the sum of sales items thatthe customer will buy corresponding to entries of sales item datasearched by the searching means 62, causing the printing device 106 toissue a receipt thereof, and transferring the searched sales item datato the server.

[0054] The control program 107 stored in the memory 103 is a programthat causes the CPU 101 to operate as a part of the POS registeringsystem. The control program 107 is read by the CPU 101. The operation ofthe CPU 101 is controlled corresponding to the control program 107.Thus, the display controlling means 61, the searching means 62, thedesignated sales item searching means 63, the correction alternativesearching means 64, the bar code searching means 65, the correctingmeans 66, and the sales item registering means 67 are accomplished onthe CPU 101. According to the first embodiment, the control program 107is stored in the memory. Alternatively, the control program 107 may berecorded on a record medium such as a disk.

[0055] Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described indetail.

[0056] First of all, the operation of the first embodiment in the casethat a sales item to be registered is designated with a key operationincluding a pressing operation of a menu key to which a plurality ofsales items have been assigned will be described.

[0057] Now, it is assumed that the operator presses the menu key MK1 towhich a sales item “one apple” has been assigned on the menu keyboard104 so as to designate the sales item “one apple”. With this keyoperation, a key code of the menu key MK1 is output from the menukeyboard 104.

[0058] When the key code of the menu key MK1 is output from the menukeyboard 104 (at step A1 shown in FIG. 7), the searching means 62 of theCPU 101 sends the key code of the menu key MK1 to the designated salesitem searching means 63. Thus, the designated sales item searching means63 searches a sales item code corresponding to the key code of the menukey MK1 from the key table 112 shown in FIG. 5 (at step A2). When onlythe menu key MK1 is pressed rather than one of the selection keys SK1 toSK4, as was described above, since it is supposed that after the firstselection key SK1 has been pressed, the menu key MK1 is pressed, thedesignated sales item searching means 63 searches a sales item code“0011” corresponding to a combination of key codes of the menu key MK1and the selection key SK1 from the key table 112. Thereafter, thedesignated sales item searching means 63 searches an entry of sales itemdata “one apple, 100 yen” corresponding to the sales item code “0011”from the PLU table 108 shown in FIG. 4 (at step A3).

[0059] Thereafter, the searching means 62 determines whether or not thesearched result of the designated sales item searching means 63 containsa plurality of entries of sales item data (at step A4). In this case,since the searched result contains only one entry of sales item data“one apple, 100 yen”, the determined result at step A4 is No. Thus, thesearching means 62 sends the key code of the menu key MK1 to thecorrection alternative searching means 64.

[0060] Thus, the correction alternative searching means 64 searches asales item code of a sales item that has assigned and that has not beendesignated by the operator's key operation from the key table 112. Inaddition, the correction alternative searching means 64 searches anentry of sales item data corresponding to the sales item code as anentry of correction alternative sales item data from the PLU table 108(at step A5). In reality, the correction alternative searching means 64searches sales item codes “0021”, “0031”, and “0041” corresponding tocombinations of the key code of the menu key MK1 and the key codes ofthe selection keys SK2, SK3, and SK4 that have not been pressed by theoperator from the key table 112. In addition, the correction alternativesearching means 64 searches entries of sales item data “one bag of twoapples, 180 yen”, “one bag of six apples, 500 yen”, and “one bag of 10apples, 800 yen” corresponding to the sales item codes “0021”, “0031”,and “0041” from the PLU table 108, respectively.

[0061] Thereafter, the searching means 62 assigns selection key numbers1 to 4 of the selection keys SK1 to SK4 to the entries of sales itemdata “one apple, 100 yen”, “one bag of two apples, 180 yen”, “one bag ofsix apples, 500 yen”, and “one bag of ten apples, 800 yen” searched bythe designated sales item searching means 63 and the correctionalternative searching means 64 and sends the resultant numbered entriesto the display controlling means 61. In addition, the searching means 62causes the display controlling means 61 to highlight-display the entryof sales item data “one apple, 100 yen” searched by the designated salesitem searching means 63 (at step A6).

[0062] Thus, the display controlling means 61 causes the display device102 to display the four numbered entries of sales item data sent fromthe searching means 62 as shown in FIG. 9A. At this point, the displaycontrolling means 61 causes the display device 102 to highlight-displaythe entry of sales item data “one apple, 100 yen” searched by thedesignated sales item searching means 63 so as to distinguish it fromthe four entries of correction alternative sales item data “one bag oftwo apples, 180 yen”, “one bag of six apples, 500 yen”, and “one bag of10 apples, 800 yen” searched by the correction alternative searchingmeans 64.

[0063] When the display device 102 displays data as shown in FIG. 9A,the operator confirms whether or not the highlighted entry of sales itemdata “one apple, 100 yen” is an entry of sales item data of a sales itemto be registered. When the highlighted entry is the entry to beregistered, the operator performs an input operation of the next salesitem (by inputting a bar code or operating the menu keyboard) and thenperforming a confirming operation.

[0064] When the searching means 62 has determined that the next salesitem had been input (namely, the determined result at step A10 is Yes),the searching means 62 causes the sales item registering means 67 toperform a sales process for storing the highlighted entry of sales itemdata “one apple, 100 yen” to an internal register thereof (at step A11).Thereafter, the flow returns to step A1. On the other hand, when thesearching means 62 has determined that the confirming operation had beenperformed (namely, the determined result at step A12 is Yes), thesearching means 62 performs a sales registering process for storing thehighlighted-entry of sales item data “one apple, 100 yen” to theinternal register and calculating the sum of sales items that thecustomer will buy corresponding to all entries of sales item data storedin the internal register (at step A13), and then causes the printingdevice 106 to issue a receipt representing the sales item data of salesitems that the customer will buy and the sum thereof (at step A14).

[0065] When the operator has correctly operated a menu key and aselection key on the menu keyboard 104 for inputting a sales item, theabove-described process is performed. On the other hand, if the operatorhas incorrectly operated a selection key, the following process will beperformed.

[0066] Now, it is assumed that the operator tires to register a salesitem “one bag of six apples” assigned to the menu key MK1. At thispoint, as a correct key operation, the operator presses the thirdselection key SK3 and then presses the menu key MK1. In this example, itis assumed that the operator has incorrectly pressed the fourthselection key SK4 instead of the selection key SK1 and then presses themenu key MK1 .

[0067] When the operator has performed an incorrect key operation, thedesignated sales item searching means 63 searches an entry “one bag of10 apples, 800 yen” as sales item data of a sales item corresponding tothe key operation from the PLU table 108 (at steps A3 and A4). On theother hand, the correction alternative searching means 64 searchesentries of sales item data “one apple, 100 yen”, “one bag of twoapplies, 180 yen”, and “one bag of six apples, 500 yen” of other salesitems assigned to the menu key MK1 as entries of correction alternativesales item data from the PLU table 108 (at step A5). Thus, the displaycontrolling means 61 causes the display device 102 to display the fournumbered entries of sales item data. At this point, the displaycontrolling means 61 causes the display device 102 to highlight-displaythe entry of sales item data “one bag of 10 apples, 800 yen” designatedby the key operation so as to distinguish it from the other entries ofcorrection alternative sales item data “one apple, 100 yen”, “one bag oftwo applies, 180 yen”, and “one bag of six applies, 500 yen”.

[0068] When the operator sees the contents displayed on the displaydevice 102, since the entry of sales item data “one bag of 10 applies,800 yen” is highlight-displayed rather than the entry of sales item data“one bag of six apples, 500 yen” that the operator has tried toregister, he or she knows that he or she has performed an incorrect keyoperation. Thus, the operator looks for the entry of sales item datathat he or she has tried to register in the entries of the correctionalternative sales item data. In this case, as shown in FIG. 9B, theentries of the correction alternative sales item data contain the entryof sales item data “one bag of six apples, 500 yen” that the operatortired to register. Thus, the operator performs a correcting operationfor causing the entry number 3 of sales item data “one bag of sixapples, 500 yen” to be highlight-displayed (selected) by pressing a key“3” of the ten keys or a left arrow key “

” on the menu keyboard 104.

[0069] When the operator has performed the above-described correctingoperation (namely, the determined result at step A8 is Yes), thesearching means 62 causes the display controlling means 61 tohighlight-display the entry number 3 of sales item data “one bag of sixapplies, 500 yen” (at step A9). Thus, as shown in FIG. 9C, the displaycontrolling means 61 highlight-displays the entry of sales item data“one bag of six applies, 500 yen”.

[0070] When the operator knows that the entry of sales item data “onebag of six apples, 500 yen” that he or she has tried to register ishighlight-displayed with reference to the contents shown in FIG. 9C, heor she performs an input operation of the next sales item and performs aconfirming operation. Thus, the sales item registering means 67 performsa sales registering process for the highlighted entry of sales item data“one bag of six apples, 500 yen” as an entry to be processed rather thanthe entry of sales item data “one bag of 10 apples, 800 yen” that he orshe has mistakenly designated. Thus, according to the first embodimentof the present invention, even if the operator mistakenly performs anincorrect key operation of a selection key, he or she can easily correcta mistake by selecting one of entries of correction alternative salesitem data displayed on the display device 102.

[0071] Next, an operation in the case that a sales item is designated bya key operation of a menu key to which only one sales item has beenassigned will be described.

[0072] Now, it is assumed that the operator designates a sales item “onewatermelon” with a menu key MK5 (see FIG. 5) of which a sales item code“0015” representing the sales item “one watermelon” has been assigned ina combination of the key code of the menu key MK5 and the key code ofthe selection key SK1. In this case, the operator presses the selectionkey SK1 and then presses the menu key MK5. Alternatively, the operatorpresses only the menu key MK5 rather than the selection key SK1.

[0073] When such a key operation is performed, the designated sales itemsearching means 63 performs a process at steps A2 and A3 shown in FIG.7. In other words, the designated sales item searching means 63 searchesthe entry of sales item data “one watermelon, 1000 yen” from the PLUtable 108. Thereafter, the correction alternative searching means 64searches an entry of correction alternative sales item data at step A5.However, since the key table 112 does not contain sales item codescorresponding to the selection keys SK2 to SK4 as shown in FIG. 5. Thus,the correction alternative searching means 64 does not search entries ofcorrection alternative sales item data from the key table 112.

[0074] Thereafter, since only the designated sales item searching means63 has searched the entry of sales item data “one watermelon, 1000 yen”,the searching means 62 designates number 1 to the entry of the entry ofsales item data and sends the numbered entry to the display controllingmeans 61 so that the display controlling means 61 so as tohighlight-display the entry of sales item data “one watermelon, 1000yen” (at step A6). Thus, the display controlling means 61 causes thedisplay device 102 to highlight-display the entry of sales item data“one watermelon, 1000 yen” as shown in FIG. 10. When the operator knowsthat the highlighted sales item data is correct, he or she performs aninput operation for the next sales item and performs a confirmingoperation.

[0075] When the operator has performed a correct key operation, theabove-described operation is performed. However, when the operator hasmistakenly performed an incorrect key operation of a selection key, thefollowing process is performed.

[0076] Now, it is assumed that the operator has mistakenly performed anincorrect key operation of a selection key and then pressed the menu keyMK5. In other words, the operator has pressed one of the selection keysSK2 to SK4 and then pressed the menu key MK5.

[0077] When such a key operation is performed, the designated sales itemsearching means 63 performs the process of steps A2 and A3 shown in FIG.7. However, since sales item codes have not been assigned tocombinations of the key code of the menu key MK5 and the key codes ofthe selection keys SK2 to SK4, the designated sales item searching means63 does not search entries of sales item data.

[0078] Thereafter, the correction alternative searching means 64performs the process of step A5. In other words, the correctionalternative searching means 64 searches the entry of sales item data“one watermelon, 1000 yen” as an entry of correction alternative salesitem data. Thereafter, the searching means 62 causes the displaycontrolling means 61 to display “1. One watermelon, 1000 yen”. When theoperator knows that the displayed entry of sales item data is correct,he or she performs an input operation for the next sales item andperforms a confirming operation.

[0079] Next, a method for registering a plurality of sales items withone sales item code will be described.

[0080] As shown in FIG. 5, the same sales item code “0016” has beenassigned to combinations of the key code of the menu key MK6 and the keycodes of the selection keys SK1 to SK4. In addition, as shown in FIG. 4,the five entries of sales item data “one small eel, 500 yen”, “onemedium eel, 800 yen”, “one large eel, 1000 yen”, “one very large eel,1500 yen”, and “one ultra large eel, 3000 yen” corresponding to thesales item code “0016” are contained in the PLU table 108. The salesitem name field shown in FIG. 4 contains selection key information thatcorrelatively contains sales items and selection keys.

[0081] Now, it is assumed that the operator has pressed the firstselection key SK1 and then pressed the menu key MK6 so as to designatethe entry “one small eel”.

[0082] When such a key operation is performed, the designated sales itemsearching means 63 searches the sales item code “0016” from the keytable 112 shown in FIG. 5. In addition, the designated sales itemsearching means 63 searches pairs of entries of sales item data andentries of selection key information “selection 1, one small eel, 500yen”, “selection 2, one medium eel, 800 yen”, “selection 3, one largeeel, 1000 yen”, “selection 4, one very large eel, 1500 yen”, and“selection 5, one ultra large eel, 3000 yen” corresponding to the salesitem code “0016” from the PLU table 108 shown in FIG. 4 (at steps A2 andA3 shown in FIG. 7).

[0083] When the designated sales item searching means 63 has searchedthe five pairs of entries of sales item information and entries ofselection key information, since the determined result at step A4 isYes, the searching means 62 performs the process of step A7. In otherwords, the searching means 62 assigns numbers to the searched entries ofthe sales item data and sends the numbered entries to the displaycontrolling means 61. In addition, since the operator has pressed theselection key SK1, the searching means 62 causes the display controllingmeans 61 to highlight-display the entry of sales item data “one smalleel, 500 yen” whose selection key information is selection 1.

[0084] Thus, the display controlling means 61 causes the display device102 to display four of five numbered entries of sales item data as shownin FIG. 11A. In addition, the display controlling means 61 causes thedisplay device 102 to highlight-display the entry of sales item data“one small eel, 500 yen”. In this example, since the display device 102has a display area for two lines, it can display only four entries ofsales item data.

[0085] When the operator knows that the entry of sales item data that heor she has tried to register is highlight-displayed with reference tothe contents shown in FIG. 11A, he or she performs an input operationfor the other sales item and performs a confirming operation. On theother hand, when the entry of sales item data that the operator hastried to register is not highlight-displayed, he or she performs acorrecting operation by inputting a selection number assigned to arelevant entry of correction alternative sales item data with the tenkeys. Thereafter, the operator performs an input operation for the nextsales item and a confirming operation. When the entry “5. One ultralarge eel, 3000 yen” that is not displayed on the display device 102 andthat is a sales item that the operator has tried to register, he or shescrolls the screen by pressing the down arrow key or the like as shownin FIG. 11B and then performs a correcting operation by inputting theselection number 5 with the ten keys. Thereafter, the operator performsan input operation for the other sales item and performs a confirmingoperation.

[0086] Next, an operation in the case that a sales item to be registeredis designated with the bar code input device 105 will be described.

[0087] When the operator inputs a bar code (a sales item code) adheredon a sales item using the bar code input device 105, the searching means62 sends the input bar code to the bar code searching means 65 (namely,the determined result at step A1 shown in FIG. 7 is Yes). Thus, the barcode searching means 65 searches an entry of sales item datacorresponding to the bar code from the PLU table 108. The bar codesearching means 65 successively assigns a number to an entry of salesitem data and sends the numbered entry to the display controlling means61 (at steps B1 and B2 shown in FIG. 8). Thus, the display controllingmeans 61 causes the display device 102 to display numbered entries ofsales item data.

[0088] When only one entry of sales item data is displayed on thedisplay device 102, after the operator knows that the entry is correct,he or she performs an input operation for the next sales item andperforms a confirming operation. When the operator has performed aninput operation for the next sales item (namely, the determined resultat step B5 is Yes), the searching means 62 causes the sales itemregistering means 67 to perform a sales registering process forregistering the displayed entry of sales item data to the internalregister thereof (at step A11 shown in FIG. 7). When the operator hasperformed the confirming operation (namely, the determined result atstep B6 is Yes), the searching means 62 causes the sales itemregistering means 67 to perform a sales registering process forregistering the sales item data to the internal register and calculatingthe sum of sales items that he or she will buy corresponding to allentries of sales item data registered in the internal register (at stepA13 shown in FIG. 7).

[0089] On the other hand, when a plurality of entries of sales item dataare displayed, the operator performs a selecting operation for inputtinga selection number of an entry of sales item data that he or she hastried to register. Thereafter, the operator performs an input operationfor the next sales item and performs a confirming operation. When thebar code searching means 65 has searched a plurality of entries of salesitem data, it waits until the operator performs the selecting operation(until the determined result at step B4 becomes Yes). Thereafter, theflow advances to step B5. When the operator has performed an inputoperation for the next sales item and an confirming operation, thesearching means 62 causes the sales item registering means 67 to performa sales registering process corresponding to the entries of sales itemdata that the operator has selected (at steps A11 and A13 shown in FIG.7).

[0090] [Second Embodiment]

[0091] Next, another embodiment of the present invention (hereinafter,referred to as second embodiment) will be described. According to thesecond embodiment, a sales item to be registered is designated with atouch panel input device. FIG. 12 is a block diagram showing an exampleof the structure of the second embodiment.

[0092] As shown in FIG. 12, a POS registering system 200 according tothe second embodiment comprises a CPU 201, a display device 202, amemory 203, a keyboard 204, a bar code input device 205, a printingdevice 206, and a touch panel input device 210.

[0093] The display device 202 displays an input guidance portion 81 andan input screen 82 as shown in FIG. 13.

[0094] The input screen 82 has a plurality of menu buttons MB1 to MB12and first to sixth selection buttons SB1 to SB6. The menu buttons MB1 toMB12 represent different sales item names. The operator touches a menubutton that represents a sales item name that he or she tries toregister. The first to sixth selection buttons SB1 to SB6 are used forthe operator to change sales item names represented on the menu buttonsMB1 to MB12. According to the second embodiment, to cause sales itemscategorized as “fruits and bargain items” to be represented on the menubuttons MB1 to MB12, the operator touches the selection button SB1. Tocause sales items categorized as “juices” to be represented on the menubuttons MB1 to MB16, the operator touches the selection button SB2. Tocause sales items categorized as “bakery” to be represented on the menubuttons MB1 to MB16, the operator touches the selection button SB3. Tocause sales items categorized as “meats” to be represented on the menubuttons MB1 to MB16, the operator touches the selection button SB4. Tocause sales items categorized as “vegetables” to be represented on themenu buttons MB1 to MB16, the operator touches the selection button SB5.To cause sales items categorized as “miscellaneous” to be represented onthe menu buttons MB1 to MB16, the operator touches the selection buttonSB6.

[0095] The touch panel input device 210 has a function for outputting acoordinate value that represents a position that the operator hastouched on the screen.

[0096] The memory 203 stores a control program 207, a PLU table 208, anda button table 209.

[0097] As shown in FIG. 14, the button table 209 correlatively containsentries of position information that represent positions on the screenof the menu buttons MB1 to MB12, entries of position information thatrepresent positions on the screen of the selection buttons SB1 to SB6,and sales item codes. Each entry of position information that representsthe position of each button is composed of for example coordinate valuesof the upper left and lower right positions of the button.

[0098] As shown in FIG. 15, the PLU table 208 correlatively containssales item codes and entries of sales item data including sales itemnames and prices thereof. Each entry of sales item data corresponding toone sales item code is assigned a unique entry of selection buttoninformation that represents a sales item corresponding to a selectionbutton (selection 1, selection 2, and so forth).

[0099] As shown in FIG. 16, the CPU 201 comprises an input screendisplay controlling means 71, an input guidance display controllingmeans 72, a searching means 73, a correcting means 77, and a sales itemregistering means 78. The searching means 73 includes a designated salesitem searching means 74, a correction alternative searching means 75,and a bar code searching means 76.

[0100] The input screen display controlling means 71 has two functions.In the first function, the input screen display controlling means 71causes the display device 202 to display the input screen 82 containingthe menu buttons MB1 to MB12 and the selection buttons SB1 to SB6 asshown in FIG. 13. The menu buttons MB1 to MB12 represent sales itemnames thereon. In the second function, the input screen displaycontrolling means 71 changes sales item names represented on the menubuttons MB1 to MB12 corresponding to a touched selection button.

[0101] When the touch panel input device 210 outputs a coordinate valueof a menu button that the operator has touched, the designated salesitem searching means 74 searches a sales item code corresponding to theoutput coordinate value and a coordinate value of a selection buttonthat he or she has most recently touched from the button table 209. Inaddition, the designated sales item searching means 74 searches an entryof sales item data corresponding to the searched sales item code fromthe PLU table 208.

[0102] When the touch panel input device 210 outputs a coordinate valueof a selection button that the operator has touched, the correctionalternative searching means 75 searches a sales item code correspondingto a sales item name that has been assigned and that is not representedon the menu button that the operator has touched from the button table209. In addition, the correction alternative searching means 75 searchesan entry of sales item data corresponding to the searched sales itemcode as an entry of correction alternative sales item data from the PLUtable 208.

[0103] The bar code searching means 76 searches an entry of sales itemdata corresponding to a bar code (a sales item code) that is input fromthe bar code input device 205 from the PLU table 208.

[0104] The input guidance display controlling means 72 has twofunctions. In the first function, the input guidance display controllingmeans 72 causes the display device 202 to display an entry of sales itemdata searched by the designated sales item searching means 74 and anentry of correction alternative sales item data searched by thecorrection alternative searching means 75 in the input guidance portion81 in different display formats. In the second function, the inputguidance display controlling means 72 causes the display device 202 todisplay an entry of sales item data searched by the bar code searchingmeans 76 in the input guidance portion 81.

[0105] The correcting means 77 has a function for adding, deleing, andupdating data contained in the PLU table 208.

[0106] The sales item registering means 78 has a function for performinga sales registering process for calculating the sum of sales items thatthe customer will buy corresponding to entries of sales item datasearched by the searching means 73 and transferring entries of salesitem data that have been searched to the server.

[0107] The control program 207 stored in the memory 203 is a programthat causes the CPU 201 to operate as a part of the POS registeringsystem. The control program 207 is read by the CPU 201. By controllingthe operation of the CPU 201, the input screen display controlling means71, the input guidance display controlling means 72, the searching means73, the designated sales item searching means 74, the correctionalternative searching means 75, the bar code searching means 76, thecorrecting means 77, and the sales item registering means 78 areaccomplished on the CPU 201. According to the second embodiment of thepresent invention, the control program 207 is stored in the memory 203.Alternatively, the control program 207 can be stored to another recordmedium such as a disk.

[0108] Next, the operation of the second embodiment of the presentinvention will be described.

[0109] When the operator will register a sales item on the input screen82 of the display device 202 with the touch panel input device 210, heor she touches a selection button corresponding to a category of a salesitem that he or she will register.

[0110] When a sales item that the operator will register is an “apple”,he or she touches the selection button SB1 to cause sales item names ofsales items categorized as “fruits and bargain items” to be representedon the menu buttons MB1 to MB12. Thus, a coordinate value of theselection button SB1 that the operator has touched is output from thetouch panel input device 210. When the input screen display controllingmeans 71 of the CPU 201 has determined that the selection button SB1 hadbeen touched corresponding to the coordinate value that had been outputfrom the touch panel input device 210, the input screen displaycontrolling means 71 changes sales item names represented on the menubuttons MB1 to MB12 corresponding to the selection button SB1. As theresult of the process of the input screen display controlling means 71,the sales item name “apple” is represented on the menu button MB1. Whena sales item name of a sales item that the operator will register isrepresented on a menu button, it is not necessary to operate anyselection button. When the sales item name “apple” is represented on themenu button MB1, the operator touches the menu button MB1. Thus, thecoordinate value of the menu button MB1 is output from the touch panelinput device 210.

[0111] When the coordinate value of the menu button MB1 has been input,the searching means 73 sends the coordinate value and the coordinatevalue of the selection button SB1 that has been most recently input tothe designated sales item searching means 74 (at step C1 shown in FIG.17).

[0112] Thus, the designated sales item searching means 74 searches asales item code “0011” corresponding to a pair of an entry of positioninformation of the menu button MB1 and an entry of position informationof the selection button SB1 from the button table 209 shown in FIG. 14.In addition, the designated sales item searching means 74 searches anentry of sales item data “apple, 100 yen” corresponding to the salesitem code “0011” from the PLU table 208 shown in FIG. 15 (at steps C2and C3).

[0113] Thereafter, since the operator may have mistakenly operated aselection button on the screen, the searching means 73 sends thecoordinate values of the menu button MB1 and the selection button SB1 tothe correction alternative searching means 75 so that it searchesentries of sales item data that have been assigned to the menu buttonMB1 and that is not represented thereon (namely, entries of correctionalternative sales item data).

[0114] When the coordinate values of the menu button MB1 and theselection button SB1 have been sent to the correction alternativesearching means 75, it searches five sales item codes “0021”, “0031”,“0041”, “0051”, and “0061” corresponding to pairs of positioninformation of the menu button MB1 and position information of theselection buttons SB2 to SB6 (excluding the selection button SB1 whosecoordinate value has been sent) from the button table 209 shown in FIG.14. Thereafter, the correction alternative searching means 75 searchesfive entries of sales item data “orange juice, 100 yen”, “cake, 250yen”, “beef, 800 yen”, “radish, 200 yen”, and “frying pan, 3000 yen”corresponding to the five searched sales item codes from the PLU table208 shown in FIG. 15 (at step C6).

[0115] Thereafter, the searching means 73 assigns numbers 1 to 6 to theentry “one apple, 100 yen” of sales item data searched by the designatedsales item searching means 74 and the entries “orange juice, 100 yen”,“cake, 250 yen”, “beef, 800 yen”, “radish, 200 yen”, and “frying pan,3000 yen” of correction alternative sales item data searched by thecorrection alternative searching means 75 and sends the numbered entriesto the input guidance display controlling means 72. In addition, thesearching means 73 causes the input guidance display controlling means72 to highlight-display the entry “apple, 100 yen” of sales item datasearched by the designated sales item searching means 74 (at step C7).Thus, as shown in FIG. 13, the input guidance display controlling means72 causes the numbered entries of sales item data and correctionalternative sales item data sent from the searching means 73 to bedisplayed. In addition, the input guidance display controlling means 72causes the entry “one apple, 100 yen” designated by a button operationof the operator to be highlight-displayed.

[0116] When the operator knows that the entry “apple, 100 yen” of salesitem data that is highlight-displayed is an entry of sales item datathat he or she has tried to reregister, he or she performs an inputoperation for the next sales item and a confirming operation.

[0117] When the input operation for the next sales has been performed,the searching means 73 sends the highlighted entry “apple, 100 yen” tothe sales item registering means 78. The sales item registering means 78performs a sales registering process for registering the entry “apple,100 yen” to the internal register thereof at step C 1. Thereafter, theflow returns to step C1 (at step C11 when the determined result at stepC10 is Yes). When the operator has performed the confirming operation,the searching means 73 causes the sales item registering means 78 toperform a sales registering process for registering the highlightedentry “apple, 100 yen” to the register and calculating the sum of salesitems that the customer will buy. Thereafter, the searching means 73causes the printing device 206 to issue a receipt representing salesitem data of sales items that the customer will buy and the sum thereof(at steps C13 and C14 when the determined result at step S12 is Yes).

[0118] When the operator has correctly operated a menu button and aselection button to register a sales item, the above-described processis performed. On the other hand, if the operator has mistakenly operateda selection button, the following process is performed.

[0119] Now, it is assumed that the operator tries to register a salesitem “orange juice” represented on the menu button MB1. At this point,as a correct button operation, the operator touches the selection buttonSB2 and then the menu button MB1. However, in this example, it isassumed that the operator has mistakenly touched the selection buttonSB1 and then the menu button MB1. This situation tends to occur in thecase that the operator is well accustomed with the screen touchoperation and he or she touches a button without carefully checking forselection buttons and sales item names represented on menu buttons.

[0120] When the operator has mistakenly performed a button operation,the designated sales item searching means 74 searches an entry “apple,100 yen” of sales item data of the sales item “apple” designated by abutton operation (at steps C2 and C3). The correction alternativesearching means 75 searches entries “orange juice, 100 yen”, “cake, 250yen”, “beef, 800 yen”, “radish, 200 yen”, and “frying pan, 3000 yen” ofcorrection alternative sales item data (at step S6). Thereafter, asshown in FIG. 13, the input guidance display controlling means 72 causessix numbered entries 1 to 6 of sales item data to be displayed on theinput guidance portion 81. At this point, the input guidance displaycontrolling means 72 causes the entry “apple, 100 yen” designated by thebutton operation to be highlight-displayed so as to distinguish it fromthe entries “orange juice, 100 yen”, “cake, 250 yen”, “beef, 800 yen”,“radish, 200 yen”, and “frying pan, 3000 yen” as correction alternativesales item data.

[0121] When the operator sees the contents displayed on the inputguidance portion 81, since the entry “apple, 100 yen” other than theentry “orange juice, 100 yen” that he or she tries to register ishighlight-displayed, he or she knows that he or she has mistakenlyperformed a button operation and checks whether or not the entry that heor she tries to register matches one of the entries of correctionalternative sales item data displayed on the input guidance portion 81.Since the entries of correction alternative sales item data include theentry “2. Orange juice, 100 yen” that he or she tries to register, he orshe performs a correcting operation by pressing the ten key “2” or thedown arrow key “

” on the keyboard 204 so as to highlight-display (select) the numberedentry “2. Orange juice, 100 yen”.

[0122] When the operator has performed the correcting operation (namely,the determined result at step C8 is Yes), the searching means 73 causesthe input guidance display controlling means 72 to highlight-display thenumbered entry “2. Orange juice, 100 yen” (at step C9). Thus, the inputguidance display controlling means 72 highlight-displays the entry“orange juice, 100 yen” of sales item data.

[0123] When the operator has checked that the entry “orange juice, 100yen” that he or she tries to register is highlight-displayed, he or sheperforms an input operation for the next sales item and a confirmingoperation. Thus, the sales item registering means 78 performs a salesregistering process for the highlighted entry “orange juice, 100 yen”rather than the entry “apple, 100 yen” that he or she has mistakenlydesignated by an incorrect button operation.

[0124] Next, a method of which a plurality of sales items are registeredwith one sales item code will be described.

[0125] As shown in FIG. 14, the button table 209 contains the same salesitem code “0016” corresponding to combinations of an entry of positioninformation of the menu button MB6 and entries of position informationof the selection buttons SB1 to SB6. On other hand, as shown in FIG. 15,the PLU table 208 contains five entries “small eel, 500 yen”, “mediumeel, 800 yen”, “large eel, 1000 yen”, “very large eel, 1500 yen”, and“ultra large eel, 3000 yen” of sales item data corresponding to thesales item code “0016”. The sales item name field correlatively containsselection buttons and sales item names.

[0126] Now, it is assumed that the operator has touched the firstselection button SB1 and then the menu button MB6 so as to designate asales item “small eel”.

[0127] When the operator has performed the above-described buttonoperation, the designated sales item searching means 74 searches thesales item code “0016” from the button table 209 shown in FIG. 14. Inaddition, the designated sales item searching means 74 searches pairs ofentries of sales item data and entries of selection button information“selection 1, small eel, 500 yen”, “selection 2, medium eel, 800 yen”,“selection 3, large eel, 1000 yen”, “selection 4, very large eel, 1500yen”, and “selection 5, ultra large eel, 3000 yen” corresponding to thesales item code “0016” from the PLU table 208 shown in FIG. 15 (at stepsC2 and C3 shown in FIG. 17).

[0128] When the designated sales item searching means 74 has searchedthe five pairs of entries of sales item information and entries ofselection button information, since the determined result at step C4 isYes, the searching means 73 performs the process of step C5. At step C5,the searching means 73 successively assigns numbers to the searchedentries of sales item data and sends the numbered entries to the inputguidance display controlling means 72. In addition, since the selectionbutton that the operator has most recently touched is the selectionbutton SB1, the searching means 73 causes the input guidance displaycontrolling means 72 to highlight-display the numbered entry 1 “smalleel, 500 yen” of sales item data. Thus, the input guidance displaycontrolling means 72 causes the five numbered entries 1 to 5 to bedisplayed on the input guidance portion 81. In addition, the inputguidance display controlling means 72 causes the numbered entry 1 “smalleel, 500 yen” to be highlight-displayed.

[0129] When the operator knows that the entry of sales item data that heor she has tried to register is highlight-displayed, he or she performsan input operation for the next sales item and a confirming operation.On the other hand, when the entry that the operator has tried toregister is not highlight-displayed, he or she performs a correctingoperation by inputting a selection number of a relevant entry ofcorrection alternative sales item data with the ten keys and thenperforms an input operation for the next sales item and a confirmingoperation.

[0130] Next, an operation in the case that a sales item to be registeredis designated with the bar code input device 205 will be described.

[0131] When the operator inputs a bar code (a sales item code) adheredon a sales item with the bar code input device 205, the searching means73 sends the input bar code to the bar code searching means 76 (namely,the determined result at step C1 is Yes). Thus, the bar code searchingmeans 76 searches an entry of sales item data corresponding to the barcode from the PLU table 208, successively assigns numbers to searchedentries (at least one entry) of sales item data, and sends the numberedentries of sales item data to the input guidance display controllingmeans 72 (at steps D1 and D2 shown in FIG. 18). The input guidancedisplay controlling means 72 causes the display device 202 to displaythe numbered entries of sales item data.

[0132] When the number of entries of sales item data displayed on thedisplay device 202 is one, after checking that the entry is correct, theoperator performs an input operation for the next sales item and aconfirming operation. When the operator has performed the inputoperation for the next sales item (namely, the determined result at stepD5 is Yes), the searching means 62 causes the sales item registeringmeans 78 to perform a sales registering process for registering theentry of sales item data to the internal register (at step C11 shown inFIG. 17). When the operator has performed the confirming operation(namely, the determined result at step D6 is Yes), the searching means62 causes the sales item registering means 78 to perform a salesregistering process for registering the entry of sales item data to theregister and then calculating the sum of all sales items that thecustomer will buy corresponding to all entries of sales item data (atstep C13 shown in FIG. 17).

[0133] On the other hand, when a plurality of entries of sales item dataare displayed, the operator performs a selecting operation by inputtinga selection number of an entry of sales item data that he or she willregister with the ten keys and then performs an input operation for thenext sales item and a confirming operation. When the bar code searchingmeans 76 has searched a plurality of entries of sales item data, theinput guidance display controlling means 72 waits until the operatorperforms the selecting operation (until the determined result at step D4becomes Yes). Thereafter, the flow advances to step D5. When theoperator has performed an input operation for the next sales item and anconfirming operation, the input guidance display controlling means 72causes the sales item registering means 78 to perform a salesregistering process for an entry of sales item data that he or she hasselected (at step C11 and C13 shown in FIG. 17).

[0134] As a first effect of the present invention, when the operatordesignates a sales item to be registered with the menu keyboard, even ifhe or she mistakenly operates an incorrect selection key, he or she caneasily perform a correcting operation. This feature is accomplished insuch a manner that an entry of sales item data of a sales itemdesignated by a key operation of the operator and an entry of sales itemdata of another sales item assigned to a menu key that he or she presses(the latter entry is an entry of correction alternative sales item data)are displayed in different display formats on the display device. Whenthe operator selects an entry of correction alternative sales item data,the selected entry is treated as an entry to be registered.

[0135] As a second effect of the present invention, when the operatordesignates a sales item to be registered with the touch panel inputdevice, even if he or she mistakenly operates an incorrect selectionbutton, he or she can easily perform a correcting operation. Thisfeature is accomplished in such a manner that an entry of sales itemdata of a sales item designated by a button operation of the operatorand an entry of sales item data of another sales item assigned to a menubutton that he or she presses (the latter entry is an entry ofcorrection alternative sales item data) are displayed in differentdisplay formats on the display device. When the operator selects anentry of correction alternative sales item data, the selected entry istreated as an entry to be registered.

[0136] As a third effect, many sales items can be registered with asmall number of sales item codes. This feature is accomplished in such amanner that a plurality of entries of sales item data are assigned toeach sales item code.

[0137] Although the present invention has been shown and described withrespect to a best mode embodiment thereof, it should be understood bythose skilled in the art that the foregoing and various other changes,omissions, and additions in the form and detail thereof may be madetherein without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A POS registering system, comprising: a displaydevice; a touch panel input device disposed on said display device;input screen display-controlling means for causing said display deviceto display an input screen containing a plurality of menu buttons and atleast one selection button, each of said menu buttons representing asales item name of a unique sales item, the selection button being usedto select sales item names represented on the menu buttons, and changingthe sales item names represented on the menu buttons to thosecorresponding to the touched selection button when the touching thereonis detected corresponding to an output from said touch panel inputdevice; and a table correlatively containing sales item codes of salesitems represented on the menu buttons and entries of sales item data,said sales item data including a name and price of each sales item;wherein when a touching on a menu button on the input screen is detectedcorresponding to an output from said touch panel input device, entriesof sales item data of all sales item names which are capable of beingdisplayed on the touched menu button are retrieved from said table, anentry corresponding to a sales item whose name is displayed on thetouched menu button is defined as an entry of designated sales item dataamong the retrieved entries, entries corresponding to sales items whosenames are not displayed on the touched menu button are defined asentries of correction alternative sales item data among the retrievedentries, the entry of the designated sales item data and the entries ofthe correction alternative sales item data are displayed on said displaydevice in such a manner that the entry of the designated sales item datais displayed in a different format from the entries of correctionalternative sales item data, and when an operator selects an entry ofcorrection alternative sales item data displayed on said display device,the selected entry of correction alternative sales item data is treatedas an entry to be processed.
 2. A POS registering system, comprising: adisplay device; a touch panel input device disposed on said displaydevice; input screen display-controlling means for causing said displaydevice to display an input screen containing a plurality of menu buttonsand at least one selection button, each of said menu buttonsrepresenting a sales item name of a unique sales item, the selectionbutton being used to select sales item names represented on the menubuttons, and changing the sales item names represented on the menubuttons to those corresponding to the touched selection button when thetouching thereon is detected corresponding to an output from said touchpanel input device; a table correlatively containing sales item codes ofsales items represented on the menu buttons and entries of sales itemdata containing sales item names and prices of the sales items;designated sales item-searching means for searching said table for anentry of designated sales item data corresponding to a sales item namerepresented on a menu button when a touching the menu button on saidinput screen is detected corresponding to an output from said touchpanel input device; correction alternative-searching means for searchingsaid table for entries of correction alternative sales item datacorresponding to sales item names which are assigned to the touched menubutton and which are not represented on the touched menu button; inputguidance display-controlling means for causing said display device todisplay the entry of designated sales item data and the entries ofcorrection alternative sales item data in such a manner that the entryof the designated sales item data is displayed in a different formatfrom the entries of correction alternative sales item data; and salesitem-registering means, when on of the entries of correction alternativesales item data is selected, for registering the selected entry ofcorrection alternative sales item data as an entry to be registered. 3.A POS registering system, comprising: a display device; a touch panelinput device disposed on said display device; input screendisplay-controlling means for causing said display device to display aninput screen containing a plurality of menu buttons and at least oneselection button, each of said menu buttons representing a sales itemname of a unique sales item, the selection button being used to selectsales item names represented on the menu buttons, and changing the salesitem names represented on the menu buttons to those corresponding to thetouched selection button when the touching thereon is detectedcorresponding to an output from said touch panel input device; a buttontable containing entries of position information of the menu buttons,entries of position information of the selection buttons, and sales itemcodes in such a manner that a sales item code is designated by acombination of an entry of position information of the menu button andan entry of position information of the selection button; a PLU tablecontaining the sales item codes contained in said button table andentries of sales item data, said sales item data including a name andprice of each sales item, said entry of sales item data being correlatedto a sales item code; designated sales item-searching means forsearching said button table for a sales item code corresponding to asales item name represented on a menu button touched on said touch panelinput device on the basis of an entry of position information of thetouched menu button and an entry of a selection button which has mostrecently been touched, and further searching an entry of designatedsales item data corresponding to the searched sales item code;correction alternative searching-means for searching said button tablefor sales item codes corresponding to sales item names being capable of,but not being, represented on a menu button touched on said touch panelinput device on the basis of an entry of position information of thetouched menu button and an entry of a selection button which has mostrecently been touched, and further searching an entry of correctionalternative sales item data corresponding to the searched sales itemcodes; input guidance display-controlling means for causing said displaydevice to display the entry of designated sales item data and theentries of correction alternative sales item data in such a manner thatthe entry of the designated sales item data is displayed in a differentformat from the entries of correction alternative sales item data; andsales item-registering means, when on of the entries of correctionalternative sales item data is selected, for registering the selectedentry of correction alternative sales item data as an entry to beregistered.
 4. The POS registering system as set forth in claim 3,wherein said input screen has a special menu button to which a pluralityof sales items are assigned, the sale sales item code being assigned tothe sales items assigned to said special menu button; wherein said PLUtable correlatively contains sales item codes, entries the of sales itemdata, and entries of selection button information, each of sales itemcodes being assigned to a plurality of sales items, each entry of theselection button information represents a selection button which istouched to represent a sales item name of a sales item on the specialmenu button; wherein said button table contains sales item codes, eachof which is assigned in common to the plurality of sales itemscorresponding to the sales item names represented on the special menubutton; wherein said designated sales item-searching means searches saidkey table for a sales item code corresponding to a combination of anentry of position information of the special menu button touched on saidtouch panel input device and an entry of position information of aselection button which has most recently been touched, and furthersearches said PLU table for pairs of an entry of sales item data and anentry of the selection button information corresponding to the searchedsales item code; and wherein among entries of sales item datacorresponding to the searched sales item code, an entry selected byselecting one of the selection buttons becomes an entry of thedesignated sales item data, and entries not selected by selecting one ofthe selection buttons become entries of correction alternative salesitem data.